Sunday 24 May 2015

Learn Late Cornish Bit by Bit 87 (Giving Instructions)

A Bit About Giving Instructions

Most verbs have an imperative form but, at this stage, to save you learning each one individually, you can use the infinitive or verbal noun with the imperative of gül/gwil to do, to make e.g.: 
gwra[1]                                  do! (singular, familiar)
gwrewgh                               do! (plural, formal)
Gwra difüna!                         Wake up! Do wake up!
Gwrewgh doas chei!            Do come in! Come in!

When giving a negative instruction a soft mutation occurs after the negative particle. 
na wra, na wras                   do not! (singular familiar)
na wrewgh                           do not! (plural or formal)
Na wras hedna!                   Don’t do that!
Na wrewgh trobla agas honen.
                                             Don’t trouble yourselves.
Na wrewgh eva re.              Don’t drink too much.

Here are some more examples. You may use Gwra! or Gwrewgh! with an object. If you want an imperative for another verb, all you need to know is the basic form of that verb, and you use it with Gwra! or Gwrewgh!:

Gwra ’sedha dor!                Do sit down! Sit down!
Gwra sewya an carr na!     Do follow that car! Follow that car!
Gwra moas dhe chei an kiger ha perna kig on.
                                             Go to the butcher’s and buy some lamb.
Gwrewgh doas ajei![2]        Do come in! Come in!
Gwrewgh omjersya agas honen!
                                              Make yourself (yourselves) comfortable!

From Alys en Pow an Anethow: 

Gwra ponya tre heb let.        Run home without delay.
Gwra hastya lebmyn!           Hurry now! Make haste now.
Gwra dewheles!                    Return! Come back!
Gwra considdra, o melder…
                                               Do consider, my dear…
Gwra aga threylya e’mann!  Turn them over!

Gwrewgh y dhibedna!       Off with his head! Behead him.
Gwrewgh hy dibedna!       Off with her head! Behead her.
Gwrewgh aga dibedna!     Off with their heads! Behead them.
Gwrewgh notyans a hedna.
                                             Make a note of that.

Na wra o ania!                     Don’t annoy me!
Na wra renky!                      Don’t grunt! Don’t snore!
Na wra tontya!                     Don’t be impertinent!

The Bible and the Lord’s Prayer, of course, contains plenty of instructions (or requests), e.g.: 
 Gwra onora dha sira ha dha dhama …
                                             Honour thy father and thy mother …
Gwra cowsel orthyn …      Speak with us …
Gwra comondya dhe Aron …     
                                              Command Aaron …
Na wrewgh naneyl gül idol vedh ragowgh agas honen …
                                               Do not make either any idol at all for yourself
Na wras agan lewa en antel.
                                               Do not steer us into temptation.

 And we find plenty in Jowan Chei a Hor’, e.g.:

Gwras cona bar’ha nei.     Do have supper with us. Dine with us.
Grewgh moas chei.            Go indoors.
grewgh terry an desen……
                                             break the cake... …cut the cake …
Na wras gara an vor’ coth rag an vor’ nowyth.
                                            Do not leave the old way for the new way.
Na rewgh moas hedhyw.  Don’t go today.



[1] Gendall has gwrâz and na wrâz
[2] Middle Cornish a-ji

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